


Set in Stone

by softwonton



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Archery, Assassination, Bakehouse, Bows & Arrows, Character Death, Comedy, Daggers, Delinquent, Dovecote, Escape, Falling In Love, Knight Bokuto Koutarou, Love, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mentioned Akaashi Keiji, Mentioned Bokuto Koutarou, Mentioned Haiba Lev, Prince Akaashi Keiji, Romance, Slingshot - Freeform, Suspense, Thriller, rendezvous
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:48:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27990270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softwonton/pseuds/softwonton
Summary: Akaashi Keiji was the first and only child of the king and queen. He grew up as a prince with many talents, yet very few friends. He was stubborn and hated a lot of things. On the night of his seventeenth birthday, he sneaked out of the castle to go to the palace gardens, all because he didn't want to talk to royalties from different kingdoms which he didn't even recognize. But little did he know, that same night he would meet someone who would end up changing his life in the long run.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 20
Kudos: 25





	1. Rage into the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

“Here’s a toast to my son and the celebration of his seventeenth birthday. May he grow up to be a great leader to our kingdom.” the king said as he held his wineglass high and mighty. 

Everyone inside the ballroom cheered and clapped their hands, some raising their goblets as well. On the other hand, Akaashi sank into his seat in front of the people. He didn’t like huge crowds and preferred to stay alone in his room and drown himself in books.

He fidgeted with the slingshot in his fingers. It was a miracle how his parents let him bring it to the event.

“Akaashi, straighten your posture. Many guests are watching, royals from neighboring kingdoms even.” his mother whispered and pinched him by the side.

Since, he didn’t have any other choice, he did what he was told to. He held his chin high while he watched the myriad of heads on the middle of the dance floor. They swayed to the gentle hum of clarinets and the boisterous trumpets.

Akaashi desperately wanted to escape his parents’ clutches and get some fresh air. But he was guarded every second of the entire event. The extravagance made his head spin in circles.

“Darling, meet prince Lev Haiba. He’s traveled from Russia by ship to attend your birthday.” his mother announced, gesturing to the tall, grey-haired boy standing in front of their thrones.

Akaashi didn’t say a single word. He just looked at the Lev boy from head to toe. So what if he traveled by sea just to get here? Akaashi didn’t even invite him. In fact, he didn’t invite any of these guests. They were all invited by his parents.

“Happiest Birthday, Prince Keiji. My humblest apologies for not bringing a gift worthy of your beauty, but may I present to you a rock I found while we hopped out of our carriage on the way here?” Lev said, and held out a shiny purple rock. He then proceeded to polish it with his own cape.

Akaashi’s face scrunched up, he didn’t like Lev here nor his stupid rock. For all he cared, he could go back to where he came from.

“Darling, what do we say?” his mother nudged him like he was a kid.

He scuffed but thanked Lev nonetheless. The only thing he thought off at the moment was finding inner peace alone somewhere, but he couldn’t get away that easily. He was the star of the party so naturally, the attention would be on him each minute.

Lev kept on rambling about how he used to collect different types of rocks back home. “One time, I found a rock that was half turquoise and half orange. It was the best one I’ve found yet. I left it back in our palace but if you’d want to see it you could visit our empire anytime.” Lev smiled while playing with his velvet black cape smothered with dust from polishing pebbles.

That’s it. Akaashi devised a plan as quick as he saw Lev’s black cape. He was a pretty intelligent teenager. At the age of two, he already had a private tutor of his own. The king and queen made sure he had access to the best books in the kingdom.

“Mother, could I use the restroom for a split second?” he asked. The bathroom trick was a classic which everyone already knew, yet his parents fell for it every time.

“Promise to be quick, I should call one of the knights to escort you there.”

“Oh no need mother. Prince Haiba could be my companion.” he said, pointing to the clueless boy in front of them. “I promise I would be back even before you could drink this glass of wine.” he then gave a glass laying around the table to his mother.

Before she could say another word, Akaashi hopped off his seat and dragged Lev by the arm away from the monstrous ball. Dukes and Duchesses have tried to greet him but he ignored them and kept on walking farther and farther from the people.

“Where are we going again?” Lev asked, barely keeping up with Akaashi. The other boy didn’t answer. He continued on leading them both to where less and less people were.

Once they reached the castle halls, Akaashi pulled Lev to a secluded corner. He put his index finger on Lev’s lips before the latter could even talk.

“I need you to do me a favor. I want to get away from here for just an hour or so. But the problem is that there are guards everywhere.” Akaashi whispered and slowly retrieved his hand.

“Wow, okay. Whatever you want, it’s your birthday after all. What should I do?” Lev tried to whisper too but failed drastically.

“Lend me your cape. It’s the blackest of blacks. I’m sure I’ll blend well in the dark night. And the castle walls are a darker shade too so it won’t be much of a problem.” 

The grey-haired boy said no more. He detached his cape and draped it over Akaashi. Surely, his parents wouldn’t notice if he lost a piece of clothing or two.

“Are you absolutely sure the knights won’t notice you running out?” he asked.

“Not entirely. Create a distraction for me, will you?”

“I mean, I could try?”

“Okay good, I’m going south of the building so whatever you do, make sure you’d put the guards’ attention to the north wing.” Akaashi said.

“Before that, don’t you want the rock I gave you as a gift?” Lev asked. He offered the pebble and Akaashi took it and thanked him yet again, so the boy wouldn’t have to talk about rocks again and delay his escape.

“I owe you for helping me. In the count of three, create a distraction for the knights.” Akaashi said with a small smile. “One. Two. Three.”

Akaashi swiftly made his way to the exit at the south wing. He has all the castle halls memorized so avoiding any guards would be easy to him.

The only thing he heard on his way out was Lev’s screams. He yelled how a cat broke his leg or something in those lines. What a weird boy, Akaashi thought to himself.

It wasn’t long before Akaashi got to the castle doors leading to the gardens. To his luck, the stand-by guards there were assisting some guests down their carriages so he easily slipped outside and into the dark.

“One day, we’re going to get robbed and killed because of this security system.” he talked to himself. 

He followed the hedges to a fountain by the daffodils and irises. There was a marble bench near the fountain so one could sit and stare at it for as long as they wanted to.

Akaashi sat and removed Lev’s cape from his head. Finally, he could breathe the fresh air without worrying about smiling to random royals from different kingdoms, or his father forcing him to dance with boys his age, or the castle servants giving him trays of food which he couldn’t finish.

He placed Lev’s cape, along with his slingshot on the bench.

Here, even for a short amount of time, he was free. Or so he thought.

“Prince Keiji?”


	2. Knight of the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

A tall and muscular boy in stood in front of Akaashi. He wore a white and black uniform with yellow accents and a badge on his chest with the kingdom seal.

A knight.

The both of them were speechless. But especially Akaashi, he had no clue as of what to do. If the king and queen eve find out about this behavior, there’s no doubt they’d be a lot stricter with their son. Not that Akaashi didn’t behave so stubbornly on the daily, but he didn’t like the idea of any more rules his parents might create that he must follow (which he’ll end up breaking anyway).

“Before you call any other guards, I can explain.” Akaashi held his hands up to stop the boy but the other didn’t move an inch.

“Is it lonely here?”

“What?” Akaashi raised an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you lonely sitting here by yourself?” the guard asked him for the second time.

“Why?” Akaashi was confused with the young knight’s behavior, which ultimately led him to believe that the boy he was talking to right now was a knight-in-training. 

That’s right. He’s a knight-in-training, Akaashi calmed himself. Usually, any night wouldn’t approve of this behavior and would escort him back to the castle immediately. In this case, the young boy didn’t, he was definitely new to this.

“Nothing. I guess the prince needs his alone time too, right?” the guard said and sat on the bench next to Akaashi, which made him scoot a little to the side. The result was a huge space between the both of them.

Normally, any knight wouldn’t sit this close to anyone in higher position than them. Much less next to a prince.

“My name is Koutarou Bokuto.” he blurted out while keeping his eyes on the water flowing out of the fountain adjacent to them.

“You don’t need to tell me yours.”

“My what?”

“Your name. Akaashi Keiji. You’re known all throughout the empire. Only son of the king and queen, heir to the throne, the stubborn prince.” Bokuto said.

“Stubborn prince? Do people really call me that?” Akaashi asked. As much as he wanted this time for his thoughts and himself, if Bokuto leaves and reports him wandering alone to the other guards then it would be over for him.

“Yes. Everyone in the kingdom sees you as a stubborn kid. Of course you’re smart, and athletic, and handsome, but you always break the castle rules.” Bokuto said.

“And how exactly did everyone in the state find out about that?” Akaashi asked, trying to keep Bokuto glued to his seat. He thought about hitting him with a stick or a rock to knock him out but he had on a helmet so it wouldn’t do much damage.

“Maids and butlers throughout the castle like to gossip, you know. At times, the higher ranking knights would talk about you too. And eventually, it ended up in the villages and spread across the land.” Bokuto rambled on. He placed his hands on the bench and kicked his feet gently in the air.

“Well, that’s something. I reckon I haven’t heard of this yet because no one dared say word about it in front of the royal family?” he asked the guard next to him.

“You got that right. But I honestly think you’re not so bad.” Bokuto said.

The knight-in-training pulled off his headgear and set it aside on top of the bench. And that’s when Akaashi got stunned up to his shoulders. 

Bokuto was, as one would call, eccentric. His eyebrows were thick. The hair on his head was black from the roots but transitioned to a beautiful shade of something Akaashi would describe as dirty white. It was styled up and separated into two pointy-like horns.

But the most notable feature for Akaashi were Bokuto’s big, round, amber eyes. They stood out even against the dark, they shone through. It’s like they reflected the light perfectly.

“What?” It was Bokuto’s turn to ask the other.

“Nothing.” Akaashi looked away as his face started to burn up.

This wasn’t the hour he planned off. The whole time he was escaping the ball, he thought of spending his sweet alone time with his thoughts and catching a fresh breath of air. Not with some stranger who talked so much.

“What’s this― oh nice blanket!”

When Akaashi turned around to face him again, he was met by Bokuto playing with Lev’s velvet cape, using it as a scarf and such. 

“It’s not a blanket, it’s a cape.” Akaashi said as he mentally face-palmed. The young guard in front of him was no doubt talkative, but it was not a doubt either that he wasn’t as bright as some people.

“A cape? It’s more fun if it’s a cape!” Bokuto held the fabric to his back and stood up. He spun around and it flew around him bending and turning from the wind.

The boy in front of Akaashi was certainly a dork. His shoulders slumped as he relaxed himself, in no way was this young man going to report him to the other guards.

“Why were you roaming around the castle gardens? Aren’t you all supposed to guard the gates and the doors?” Akaashi found himself asking despite hating socializing.

“Yes, we’re supposed to be. But the other higher-ranking knights didn’t want me there so they sent me off to go on patrol instead.” Bokuto said amidst twisting with the cape.

“Why did they command you to?”

“They said I was too annoying and talkative.” Bokuto sulked, and Akaashi wasn’t certain but in his periphery, he thought he saw Bokuto’s hair droop down like it was sad as well.

“I could understand why they found you annoying.” he said.

“Do you think I’m annoying Akaashi?” Bokuto asked, his voice softening at the part where he said Akaashi’s name.

No one was allowed to call Akaashi just by his name, except for his relatives. For anyone else, it was mandatory to put Prince, Sir, or His Royal Highness. The young prince wasn’t shocked by this behavior though. As far as he knew, Bokuto wasn’t your average knight, but he was interesting though.

“No, not really. If anything, you’re quite intriguing.” What Akaashi said wasn’t completely a lie. Yes he thought of Bokuto as an annoying young man child but he was also an interesting fellow.

However, he was not a fellow Akaashi would stay long with for.

“My parents would be panic because of my long absence. I should go now.” he said, standing up and snatching the cape from Bokuto.

“I’ll sneak you back in safely.” Bokuto said. “But before any of that. . .”

Bokuto crouched down and plucked fresh daffodils from the garden. He made sure to pick the prettiest ones. He bunched them up together and gave them to Akaashi.

“I think they’re really beautiful like you. And you can ignore the fact that I picked them in front of you, in your own garden.” he said getting all flustered.

Akaashi smiled to himself, accepting the flowers Bokuto so carelessly plucked. He looked him in the eye and tilted his head with his eyes forming into crescent moons.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	3. The Prince's Aim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

A few days had passed since Akaashi’s seventeenth birthday. He’d never seen Bokuto since then. Lev, however, had met Akaashi once again and told him he was to stay for a few more weeks since ships didn’t sail that time of the month.

And for some bizarre reason, he’d managed to get his way inside the prince’s royal quarters.

“Your room is really big. Why did you have it be painted mint instead of darker shades like the whole castle?” Lev asked and jumped on Akaashi’s huge bed, swimming in the silk and cotton sheets.

“I like it. And besides, it matches my eye color.” he said from his table on the opposite side of the bed.

When Akaashi told Lev he owed him, he didn’t exactly picture Lev going to him the next day and asking to be his best friend. To which he couldn’t deny since Lev looked like a lost child while he pleaded to be Akaashi’s friend.

And he was a big help to Akaashi anyway, so the latter accepted. First thing Lev did after that was asking to see Akaashi’s room. And with a bit of bargaining, the black-haired prince gave in and asked his parents for permission to let Lev in his quarters. The king and queen immediately accepted since this was one of the rare times Akaashi asked to have another person in his room, the last time being Prince Kozume from the neighboring kingdom. Which was about eleven years ago.

“What do you do here for fun?” Lev asked.

“I read.” Akaashi grabbed a book from the towering shelves on his wall.

“That’s so passive. Reading makes my head hurt. Don’t you have any better hobby?” Lev whined while rolling around Akaashi’s bed. The other boy snarled in annoyance.

“We could go out to the castle grounds. When I get bored of reading, I usually practice my skills in archery. I’m going to call a butler for preparations.” 

“That’s great! I don’t do any outdoor activities much. It’s freezing back in our kingdom. A minute outside without any warm clothes and you’re dead.” Lev said.

“Let me get my slingshot first.” Akaashi said, opening the chest on his study table which he used to keep his slingshot. But to his surprise, the item he was searching for wasn’t there.

Where could have it gone? Last time I had it was at the party, he thought to himself. That slingshot was very dear to him. It had been his since he was five. It was the thing he used to break castle windows to escape. And at times he used it to distract the castle guards.

“Is there a problem?” Lev asked, tilting his head to the side.

“No, nothing.”

. . .

A few minutes later, the two princes were already outside on the grounds. The servants had them change into more suitable attire. Akaashi had on a black and white suit with his kingdom’s emblem while Lev wore a red suit with black accents.

They grabbed their bows and stood a couple of meters from the target. The breeze was calm and the grass only danced a little in the wind so it was the optimal time.

“Do you know how to man a bow and arrow?” Akaashi asked the other prince.

When he faced Lev’s direction, the taller boy struggled to even get the arrow in the bow properly. A few more mistakes and he’s about to injure himself. Akaashi sighed.

“Here, watch me first.” he said, and Lev stopped what he was doing to examine how Akaashi stood and held the weapon.

His stance was perfect. There was this grace and elegance to how he held the bow. The arrow rested still, waiting for him to pull the string back.

Once Akaashi tugged the string back, it was as if time stopped. The servants behind them watched in awe. Akaashi was the best in the kingdom on many different aspects. The only problem he had was the stubbornness and the slight misanthropy. 

The second Akaashi let go of his hold, the arrow was sent flying in a straight direction. His hair was swooped back by the impact. 

The second Lev blinked, Akaashi’s arrow was already in the middle of his target. It was struck deep, not just the middle section, but in the exact middle of the whole board. His aim was precise and could beat that of professional archers.

"Wow! I figured you were good but I didn’t know you were this good. You could kill a person with your skills.” Lev complimented the other in a weird way.

“Now, you try.” Akaashi gestured to the target boards.

“Isn’t he the prince rumored to have been attacked by a mere cat?” the butlers and maids gossiped behind them.

Lev smiled awkwardly at Akaashi. It was an in-the-spur-of-the-moment decision. He couldn’t think of a good enough excuse to catch the guards’ attention back at the party.

He held his bow at a slightly different way than Akaashi. And he put the arrow, still struggling even though it was his second time at trying it.

Without a countdown or a signal. He launched the arrow into the sky, which would have been great if he was aiming to strike a cloud. But his target board was right in front of him. Akaashi massaged his forehead at Lev’s poor archery skills.

The arrow landed on the other side of the grounds. Lev scratched the back of his head, wondering where he had gone wrong (which was everything).

“Don’t worry. I’ll get it. Teach this prince how to use a bow and arrow.” Akaashi commanded the servants behind them.

He ran to where the arrow landed, the castle stables. Akaashi didn’t go there often, he hated the smell. And he wasn’t fond of animals either. He did have a horse of his own, but he didn’t like horse-riding. 

When he got there, he saw a hole punctured on the roof of the stables. And there it was, Lev’s arrow. Luckily, it was on the ground and didn’t stick to the top of the roof. Or else it would have been a pain to get it off from there.

As he bent down to pick the fallen arrow, he heard a whimper come from inside the stables.

It sounded like a dog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	4. Don't Eye the Mountains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

Akaashi entered the barn-like stable to see what was making the noise. He was met by stacks of hay and the foul smell he avoided for so long. The horses seemed fine though, they were all peacefully eating.

He went further to the inside were the servants bathed the animals. To Akaashi’s luck, there weren’t any people there at the moment. The least he’d want right now was any sort of social interaction.

When he opened the door to the other room, he was immediately let down. He’d have to talk to someone else right now and stay for a bit longer inside the smelly stables.

There on the corner next to the faucets, sat Bokuto. He was slumped on the dirty concrete with a puppy in his hands. 

“Akaashi!” Bokuto beamed when he saw the prince entering the room.

“What are you doing here?” the other asked.

“I was on another patrol.”

“Let me guess. The other knights were annoyed by your presence again?” 

“You could say that.” Bokuto answered. “But I was mostly here to take this puppy for a walk. He’s a castle dog-in-training too just like me. One day, we’d fight villains together. Isn’t that right boy?” 

Bokuto played with the dog and tickled its stomach. Akaashi stared at them for a bit longer, the muscular boy’s face was smothered in mud.

“And how did you end up sitting on the stables cross-legged?” the young prince asked.

“Oh, I forgot about that important part. We were checking the stables and all of a sudden there was a loud noise which came from the roof and right after that, small debris from the ceiling came falling down on Aka Junior.” Bokuto said.

“Aka Junior?”

“Him.” Bokuto pointed to the puppy on his lap. “I named him after you. Is that bad?”

“No. . .” Akaashi had on a confused look glued to his face. “But it sure is weird.”

Bokuto ignored the other’s last statement and showed the dog’s paws. “He got hit here bad and so he was startled. I decided we should rest here for a bit so he could recover.”

“Are there any wounds?” Akaashi asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

“I was talking about the dog.”

“My bad. Aka Junior is fine. Just a scratch, I think.” Bokuto said.

“You think?” Akaashi sighed. “Let me see. I hate animals but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to help one.”

He crouched down in front of Bokuto to see if the dog had any injuries of the sort. He checked its paws and found out there was a small spot where it bled.

“He likes you. Normally he’d growl if he sees a new person but I think he knows he’s named after you.” Bokuto said in a low tone.

“Whatever. Could we at least bandage him up? I need some kind of fabric.” Akaashi said, examining the puppy’s for any other wounds.

“We don’t have to worry about that. Here, hold him for me real quick.” Bokuto handed the small puppy to Akaashi and stood up.

He ripped the bottom of his shirt and he did it without any difficulties. Akaashi was stunned when it revealed part of Bokuto’s abs. And they sure were defined. It’s like they were chiseled to perfection.

The young prince gulped at the view of another man’s exposed body parts in front of him. He had a stomach too, sure. But he was more on the skinny spectrum of body types. Bokuto on the other hand, well he was a different story. Akaashi only noticed now how chunky the young boy’s biceps were. He was built for battle.

“Akaashi?” Bokuto said, pulling Akaashi back to reality.

“Give me that.” Akaashi said, snatching the torn fabric from Bokuto’s hand. He distracted himself by tying it on the puppy. He wouldn’t know how to hide it if his face ever heated up again.

Bokuto watched him closely as he finished doing a tight knot on Aka Junior’s leg. The knight-in-training seemed to enjoy the sight of Akaashi caring for the puppy.

“There. All done.” Akaashi said as he finished. “Now, I’ve got to go, my friend is waiting for me back in the fields.”

“Akaashi. . .” Bokuto pouted, his voice completely changing when he said the other’s name. He said it like it was honey fresh from the hive. “Couldn’t you stay a bit longer? It’s lonely with just me and Aka Junior.”

“They’re all waiting for me. I need to go.” Akaashi said. 

But he was stopped from doing so when Aka Junior barked and licked him all over his face.

“See, I told you he likes you. And Aka Junior doesn’t want you to go either.” Bokuto said.

“And besides, what are you doing there anyways that’s so much better than my company.” Bokuto posed like he was a hero.

“Anything’s better than your presence.” Akaashi said in a playful manner but it came out as an insult to the other.

“I’m sorry Akaashi.” Bokuto said softening the pronunciation of the prince’s name to the point where it sort of sounded like Agashi instead.

And the young prince felt bad because of what he’d done. “Tell you what, I’d stay for another ten minutes, but that’s about it.”

Akaashi found himself having a hard time leaving Bokuto alone. Something about that boy pulled Akaashi closer and closer. It was as if he craved to know more about Bokuto. 

“That’s all I need Akaashi. Thank you very much.” Bokuto exclaimed as he hugged the young prince.

Akaashi was shocked when Bokuto leaned in to give him a hug. Aka Junior ran around them barking. He’d never received this type of affection from anyone. Also, Bokuto’s exposed abs were grinding on his arm. It made him jittery.

“What do you have to offer now that I agreed?”

“Couldn’t we just talk?” Bokuto mumbled.

“About what?”

“About you for starters.”

“I don’t talk about myself much.” Akaashi said, fidgeting with his fingers.

“Don’t be like that. I bet there’s a lot of interesting things about you no one knows yet. What’s it like to be the only prince in the kingdom?”

“Annoying. Everyone has their eye on me at all times. People’s expectations of me are so high I can’t even reach them. So I didn’t bother to try anymore.” Akaashi was shocked that he said that to some stranger he’d just met. But Bokuto had this aura to him, this calming feeling that you could talk to him about your problems and he wouldn’t judge.

“That must be pretty hard on you.” Bokuto said.

“It is.”

“Well, for one, I think you’re great Akaashi. Even if you do something grand or not.” he assured.

“How can you say that? You don’t even know me.” Akaashi said, continuing on fiddling with his fingers.

“I can be proud of you for just being you, can I? Although I don’t know you to the point of memorizing your sleeping habits or whatnot, I’m certain you’re a great prince. And you’d be a great king too.” Bokuto said in one quick breathe. He held Akaashi’s hands and stopped him from fidgeting with his fingers. It was like he was showing the other he truly meant it.

“I don’t want to be king.”

“That’s fine too, you can choose what you want in life.” Bokuto kissed Akaashi’s hands. It startled Akaashi at first but he played it off cool by looking away. He convinced himself it was just one of Bokuto’s strange manners again.

Right then and there, Akaashi forgot about Lev, or going back to the gardens. Right now, it was just him and Bokuto. . . and Aka Junior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	5. Not the Dead One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

Akaashi stayed for a bit longer than he should have. When he got back to the grounds, Lev and the servants weren’t there anymore. The castle gardener said they went back inside.

When he got back to the castle himself, he found Lev inside the study with his mother. They were chatting and drinking tea together. 

“Darling, come sit with us.” his mother patted the chair beside her. “Prince Haiba and I were just chattering about the neighboring kingdoms.”

“And what were you talking about particularly?” Akaashi asked, pulling the chair and sitting on it with his chest resting on the back post.

“I noticed how you weren’t with Prince Haiba outside so I called him in for some tea. You should really pay attention to your guests Akaashi.” his mother scolded.

“It’s not much of an issue your royal highness.” Lev said, calming down the queen before things get out of hand.

“You’re such a nice young man, Lev. I’m glad Akaashi befriended you. He should learn a lot from you.”

The black-haired prince rolled his eyes after his mother said that. Lev was the one who asked to be friends in the first place.

“So what were you talking about before I got here?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Darling, princes from other kingdoms have either gone missing or have been murdered for the past months.” his mother said, offering him a plate of sweets to which he declined.

“And what about it?”

“Shush. The first instance was Prince Kageyama Tobio of Karasuno. After that was Prince Kenma Kozume of Nekoma. The last incident was with Prince Atsumu Miya of Inarizaki.” his mother continued.

Akaashi’s jaw almost dropped with the mention of Prince Kozume but he stopped it. It was shocking to him how one of his only childhood friends had died so early. Yet he wasn’t one to grieve, he only knew Kenma for a short period of time and they didn’t even talk much so he thought he shouldn’t cry about it.

“I reckon you think I’m the next one in line?” Akaashi scoffed.

“The killers haven’t been identified yet. We only care about your safety darling. We don’t mean any harm to you. Your father had already commanded the guards to close borders for as long as this goes on.”

“What about Lev? He’s a prince too, you know.” Akaashi said.

“Your mother told me about this and it seems like the attacks are only situated in this land. Back in Russia, there’s nothing of the sort. So, in theory, I should be safe.” Lev said and Akaashi raised a brow. Lev looked exceptionally smarter because of what he said just now.

“Alright, I get all of this, but can I still go outside from time to time? I love my room and being hauled inside of there but at certain times, it feels so cramped.” Akaashi said and took a sip from his teacup.

“We’ll see if I can do anything regarding that, but for now, I suggest you stay indoors.” his mother said.

. . .

“I can’t believe they’re locking me inside just because of some weird rumors.” Akaashi groaned into his pillow case while Lev marveled at the art pieces displayed in his room. Most of them were paintings Akaashi did when he was twelve.

“They’re only thinking about your well-being.” Lev said, trying to touch one of the paintings when Akaashi threw a pillow at him to stop him from doing so.

“But there’s no need. I can fight on my own, I was trained since I was a kid.” he said, sinking into his mattress. 

“It makes no difference if you don’t know who you’re up against.” Lev said. “And by the way, what took you so long earlier. Is retrieving a single arrow that difficult?”

“I got lost.” was all Akaashi could come up with. He didn’t have the time to think of an elaborate answer so he stuck to the first one that came to mind?

“In your own castle grounds?” Lev asked.

“Yes.”

“I get lost in our castle grounds too.” Lev confessed with a sheepish smile.

He then went back to eyeing the pieces on the wall. Akaashi was naturally talented in art as well. He won contests, not because he was a prince, but because he had skill. The way he uses the brush is magic to people’s eyes.

“Aren’t you scared of the loose murderer?” he asked the grey-haired prince.

“No, not much.” Lev replied. “Mostly because I’m not known well here. The only people who know I’m an actual prince are your family, and maybe a few maids and butlers from around here.”

“Lucky you.” Akaashi lazily said.

“I better get going now.” Lev said, turning to the door.

“Where would you be staying again?”

“Your mother and father had prepared quarters for us to sleep in. It’s not far from here but it’s quite a walk.”

“Okay” Akaashi said, expecting the other to leave right after but instead his cheek was met by a small impact, most probably a small object being thrown at him.

He shot up his bed and found the purple rock Lev gave to him on his birthday. The other prince stood beside his bed and had his hands on his hips.

“This fell from your pocket before you sprinted away to fetch my runaway arrow. Seriously Akaashi, I thought you’d take care of it better.” Lev said.

“I’m sorry.” Akaashi said because he wasn’t in the mood for any type of conflict at the moment.

“Apology accepted. But I need you to give more attention to it from now on. Finding purple rocks is hard.” Lev said and his ears looked as if they were letting out steam. He was rather funny-looking but Akaashi didn’t comment on it because Lev might get angrier.

“Okay, I promise.” he said and then Lev left without saying another word.

Finally, Akaashi had some peace and quiet to himself again. He could be alone with his thoughts now. He slid the stone into his pocket and stood up, heading to his bookshelves.

He grabbed a book and was about to open it when he heard a light knocking. However, it didn’t come from the door. It was more of a tapping sound from his window.

And without any thought, he went to his bedroom window. It was strange because his room was on the third floor of the castle wall. What could have possibly made that sound?

When Akaashi got in front of his window, he stepped back, taking precaution. There was a figure on the other side. The glass was clear but since it was nearing nighttime, he couldn’t make out who or what it was.

Akaashi stepped back another time. He wasn’t sure what to do. His slingshot was missing from its container and he didn’t have any other weapons which were easy to grab. The next thing he thought of was the spear underneath his bed.

The tapping resumed. “Akaashi.” said the figure from outside the window. It was a familiar voice. And then and there it registered in his mind. The one outside his window was Bokuto.

Now he was partially sure, Akaashi opened his bedroom window with no fear at all. 

And then he was met by those shining amber eyes under the light.

“Bokuto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	6. The Sudden Rendezvous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

“How did you manage to climb up here?” Akaashi asked as Bokuto hopped inside his room.

“You took so long to open the window Akaashi.” the other said, dusting off his clothes.

“It doesn’t matter. What are you here for? Don’t you know strangers aren’t allowed in my quarters? You have to be granted permission by my parents first.”

“I climbed up with tied-up bed sheets so I’d say it’s an invite in itself.” Bokuto said with a bright smile, showing his pearl teeth.

“Bokuto, why are you here?” Akaashi asked for the second time.

The other didn’t answer instantly. Like any other “visitor” in another person’s room, he went around the quarters. He picked a few books from the shelves and commended the young prince’s taste in literature.

“I just wanted to see you? Is that so bad of a reason?” Bokuto said.

“I‒ no, but there’s a time for that. You can’t go barging in on my room at the most uncalled hours.” Akaashi said, following Bokuto around his own room to make sure the knight-in-training wouldn’t mess with any important object.

“I also thought of giving you something.” Bokuto said, and now that he mentioned it, Akaashi’s eyes hovered over a bump on Bokuto’s pocket.

What did he think of giving me? I don’t need any item in particular, the young prince thought to himself.

“Your bedroom is so spacious. What do you do with this much space?” Bokuto asked and stopped from walking in circles.

And since Akaashi wasn’t paying attention to him but to the item in the young guard’s pocket, he bumped onto Bokuto’s back. When the other turned to face him, they found themselves in a quite close position. Their eyes locked with each other which made Akaashi’s face heat up. He could sense tingles going down his spine.

He got lost in Bokuto’s eyes. And he didn’t want to be found.

“Akaashi? Are you alright?” his father knocked from the door and interrupted the two’s small moment.

“Yes father. No problem of any kind.” Akaashi said and shooed Bokuto to find a hiding spot.

“You should open the door. Let me in, I hear strange sounds coming from your room.” the king said, knocking louder than before.

“Wait a second father.” Akaashi yelled towards the door and pushed Bokuto.

His room was big but there weren’t any great hiding places. Even under his bed was a bad idea since anyone hiding there could still be seen quickly.

“Meet me this night at the bakehouse on the first floor.” Bokuto said and caressed Akaashi’s cheeks before jumping out of the window. And for a second, Akaashi was stopped in his tracks. His cheeks were still warm from Bokuto’s touch, not like they weren’t burning hot earlier because of the whole bumping incident, but still.

“Young man, if you don’t open the door this instant, I’ll order the guards to force it down.” his father said from outside, knocking him back to his senses.

He hurried and opened the door for his father.

“Goodness gracious, what were you doing son? You were causing quite the commotion.” 

“I was… rearranging the items on my bookshelves.” Akaashi said.

“Sounds reasonable. I may have come at the perfect time. I have a new book for you.” his father said proudly and showed it to him. “It’s not necessarily a work of fiction but I figured you should read this.”

“What’s it about?” Akaashi asked, letting his father inside his room.

“It’s a history book. I thought you should know more about the relationships we have with other kingdoms in order to be an effective ruler.”

“You know well enough I don’t want to be king.” Akaashi said.

“But apparently, you don’t have the pleasure of choosing. It’s your fate.” his father said in a stern tone. 

From the beginning, Akaashi never thought about ruling the kingdom. The only dream he had was to be a free person who did what he loved best. He dreamt of reading all day, taking walks along the village, or playing with his slingshot (which still hasn’t been found).

“This book contains an array of connections, family trees, and plenty of other things you should keep in mind.” his father added.

Akaashi didn’t dare say any word in return, knowing his own father would only shut him down. Instead, he accepted the book and gave a grateful bow.

“Now, I’ll be leaving. I just wanted to drop this off to you personally. And close your windows. Your mother had already told you to stay safe. We haven’t gathered intel yet on the prince killings at neighboring kingdoms.” and after saying that, the king shut the door behind him, leaving Akaashi alone for the nth time this day.

Akaashi was about to do what his father had told him to. He went to his bedroom window and was going to close it when he saw a piece of white fabric by the side.

When he stretched his head out to see, he got the sight of tied sheets training down the side of the wall. They were held together tightly by the knots and trailed downwards next to the vines.

Bokuto had left it for him to use. Either that or he was too air-headed and forgot to remove it.

Speaking of him, he wanted to meet me at the bakehouse too, Akaashi thought.

And since he was feeling a bit rebellious at the moment, he packed a few things in a satchel.

The darkness had bit the sky and it was hard for any surrounding guards to see him rappelling down from his room so he thought it was okay.

Once he was all set, he checked if his bedroom door was locked so anyone who thought of entering from there would have a hard time trying. He then tugged on the hand-crafted rope to make sure it was safe for him.

When he was absolutely certain it was safe, he shifted his weight from the window sill to the sheets. He went down slowly, cautious of making any noise that could attract the guards’ attention to him.

And he didn’t like the idea of falling and breaking a bone or two so he thought of going down carefully. As Akaashi neared the ground, he hopped off and immediately hid in nearby bushes in case any knight saw him.

Sure that the coast was clear, he sneaked his way to the bakehouse to meet Bokuto and find out whatever he wanted to give to Akaashi.

“I’m coming to you Bokuto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	7. Two Boys in the Pantry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

The second Akaashi stepped into the bakehouse, his nose lifted from the smell of freshly baked pastries and margarine. Dim lights were placed on the four corners of the room leaving it fairly dark.

Because the bakehouse was on the far left of the castle, it wasn’t a place people would often see. It was secluded, perfect for their rendezvous. And since it was already past bedtime, no one was inside.

His eyes scanned the room, looking for Bokuto and there he spotted the other, sniffing the containers. He almost looked like a stray dog searching for a bite. And straight away, Bokuto’s attention landed on Akaashi.

“Akaashi!” the knight-in-training shouted.

And as quick as lightning, Akaashi ran to Bokuto and covered the other’s mouth with his hand.

“You should be quiet. I shouldn’t even be here tonight. My mother said I couldn’t leave my quarters.” he whisper-yelled.

Being the airhead that he is, Bokuto licked Akaashi’s palm to get the young prince to remove his hand. And according to plan, Akaashi retrieved his hand in a flash.

The young prince’s face scrunched up and he eyed Bokuto with annoyance.

“What?” Bokuto grinned.

“Need I tell you that I only came here because I didn’t like staying holed up in my bedroom.” Akaashi said. “So you should at least behave like a guard. It’s like you aren’t even training to be one.”

“Are you mad Akaashi?”

Silence ensued after. The young prince didn’t answer. He wasn’t mad at all, but he didn’t wish to tell Bokuto he wasn’t. Because then it would seem like it was okay to continually do immature acts around him.

“I can tell you’re mad Akaashi.” Bokuto said with his voice softening on Akaashi’s name again. 

He proceeded to sulk on one of the corners and fidget with piping bags and cream. He sat with his knees to his chest. Akaashi got sight of how Bokuto’s hair drooped down when he was sad. It was as if his grey tips knew what he felt.

“Quit being childish.” Akaashi said, crossing his arms onto his chest. He didn’t quite know how to comfort or apologize to anyone due to him being an only child with few friends.

On the outside, Akaashi was calm and collected but on the inside, his lungs were struggling for air. This was the first time someone was being emotional towards him. He didn’t read any of this in books before. So how exactly was he supposed to cheer up a moping Bokuto.

Why is he so emotional to begin with? He’s so complicated, Akaashi said in his mind. He fiddled with his fingers, trying to come up with a plan to lift Bokuto’s spirit.

“You hungry? I caught you going through the containers earlier. Maybe you could use a sweet or two.” Akaashi said in an attempt to start a normal conversation again.

And to his surprise, Bokuto nodded his head.

“I think we have some stock in here. But I’m not completely certain; It’s been a long time since my last visit to this bakehouse.” Akaashi said, opening the cupboards.

He only said that to elongate the conversation but he definitely knew the bakehouse was full. The bakers worked themselves to the bone every day to serve the finest pastries to the royal family and that’s a fact. And he also smelled a bunch of baked goods when he entered the space.

He didn’t notice right away but eventually, Bokuto stood up and helped him search for any edible items in the pantry. The young guard tugged at the hem of Akaashi’s shirt to grab his attention.

“Kashi. . . Pudding.” Bokuto held up cups of pudding in front of Akaashi.

“Thank you.” Akaashi gave him a warm smile as a sign that they’d made up, although they didn’t have a serious quarrel.

Bokuto ate all of his in one second. He didn’t let a single thing stop him from injecting the pudding into his veins. He didn’t even use a spoon, he just slurped the whole dessert from the cup.

Akaashi stared at him, unsurprised by his actions. The black-haired boy knew what was coming. He was starting to get used to Bokuto’s habits and way of accomplishing things.

“You put people who invented utensils to shame.” Akaashi said. Though he was interested in eating the pudding the same way Bokuto did.

From the second he began eating solid food, he was thought table manners and other etiquette related activities. He’d never once tried eating without proper manners.

“Don’t worry about me Akaashi. I saved a spoon for you.” Bokuto offered, which was peculiar as there were spoons all over the room. They were in a bakehouse after all. Or maybe Bokuto had an emotional connection to the spoon he was holding.

“No, I’m fine. I want to try out what you did.” Akaashi said and attempted to eat the pudding directly from the cup. He had a hard time doing so.

“Kaashi. . . You don’t like my spoon?” Bokuto asked with his eyebrows furling upwards.

“I like it but I’m amused by the way you eat your food.” Akaashi said and patted the back of the cup because the pudding was stuck to the bottom.

“You’re getting yourself dirty.” Bokuto said with worry in his voice. “Spoon?”

“No, but thanks anyway.”

Without turning his head, Akaashi could feel the boy beside him have another change of mood. It seems like the spoon was such a big deal for him.

“Akaashi, look what you did to yourself.” Bokuto said in a low tone as he held Akaashi’s chin and tilted his head so they were now face to face.

They were dangerously close to one another yet again. Bokuto’s eyes were planted on Akaashi’s lips. He was staring so hard Akaashi felt like his skin was burning to ash.

“You have excess food on your lips. I should clean it up.” Bokuto said, his voice melting in Akaashi’s ears.

And at that exact moment, Akaashi feared what might happen. Bokuto was a strange boy, he might not simply wipe it off. Akaashi had a heap of thoughts running in his head.

Bokuto licked his own lips and inched closer to Akaashi. The young prince panicked and closed his eyes. The other boy was too close to him. Whatever might happen next, Akaashi hasn’t readied himself for.

“Could you move over a bit? You’re in the way.” Bokuto said and shifted Akaashi aside to grab a handkerchief from the counter behind.

Akaashi did what he was asked to. He got struck by the stars. What exactly was I thinking of? It’s not like Bokuto would do that, he mentally scolded himself. The guard beside him was truly unpredictable.

“Here. Let me get rid of this for you.” Bokuto wiped off the pudding on Akaashi’s lips. “There. All done.”

The young prince smiled at the boy next to him, concealing the feeling of uneasiness that surged from his chest to his feet. He was so out of himself that he knocked over the metal pans and trays on the counter.

They fell down, clanking so loud it might even be heard from beyond the gardens.

“Good lord. I’m‒ I knocked it over by mistake.” Akaashi panicked.

“I heard it coming from the bakehouse.” they both caught faint footsteps coming from outside. The guards must have heard it. And if they ever get found out, it would cause a commotion. 

“Come with me.” Bokuto exclaimed and dragged Akaashi towards the rather big pantry. They squeezed their bodies together and closed the pantry door before the other knights could open the main door leading to the bakehouse.

The very second Bokuto closed themselves in, they heard the door to the bakehouse slam open.

Neither of them mentioned how their bodies were touching. They were in a rather complicated position. It was so cramped and dark that Akaashi couldn’t make out what they looked like. But there was something which bothered him most.

One of Bokuto’s hands was placed on his inner hip, wildly close to his privates.

But he didn’t utter a single sentence, not even a single word. The fear of getting caught was immense and he’d rather stay silent than tell Bokuto where his hand was.

“Was it a mouse that did this?” the guards from outside talked to each other.

Akaashi’s whole body burst into flames. The tension inside the small enclosed space was too much for him. However, Bokuto was still clueless of what was happening. His attention was stuck to the other guards outside, to see if they left already.

“Let’s go back to our posts. It’s most probably only a cat.”

Akaashi was failing to keep his composure. His breathe became heavy. Once they were sure no one else was in the bakehouse, Akaashi kicked the pantry door open, gasping for air.

He looked back at Bokuto who was unfazed by what occurred. Another minute with him and Akaashi might explode.

“I’m going back to my quarters.” Akaashi said, and sneaked outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	8. Dystopia from Euphoria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

As sloppy as his movements were climbing up the make-shift rope to his room, Akaashi was lucky none of the guards nearby saw him. Having most of the guards sent to the borders for the protection of the royal family benefited him somehow.

He detached the rope and hauled it over to his room so no one would see it by daylight. He then proceeded to stuff it inside one of his closets, which were already too jam-packed with clothing items. In the end, he managed to squeeze it in place and get his breath over it.

Akaashi flopped onto his bed and put his hand on his head. There was a subtle pain that felt like it ricocheted inside his skull again and again.

And it was understandable. He had too much to think about at the moment. A lot had happened in these past couple of hours, and he didn’t know what to think about first.

So he did what he’d normally do in these stressful situations, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

. . .

“Excuse me, your royal highness? My sincerest apologies for disrupting your slumber.”

Akaashi was awoken by a gentle pat on the shoulder. When he opened his eyes, he immediately got sight of Kaori, one of the maids in their castle.

“I’m sorry Prince Keiji, but the queen had told me to summon you to the halls.” Kaori said.

“Why?” Akaashi said with his raspy morning voice. He had fallen asleep in a weird position with his head at the side of his bed. It would be embarrassing for someone to find him like that and Akaashi would normally get flustered. But this time around, he still had a lot to digest so he didn’t care as much.

“The villagers will visit the king today, offering gifts and reporting on the state of the kingdom. You must be there and your mother told me to make you look presentable.” Kaori told him, folding his blankets and arranging his bed as he got up.

“I believe your mother had told you to quarantine inside of your room but she also said this was the only exception. The people need to see their prince healthy and well. Now go, I have made preparations for your bath.” Kaori said.

Akaashi didn’t say a single word in return. Once he stood up, he stretched his arms to the sky and headed over to his bathing room.

Inside was a miniature pool lined with marble. Above it dangled a chandelier with multiple lit candles. To Akaashi, having a pool directly underneath a huge hanging object was an accident waiting to happen, but he didn’t have a say in the workings of the castle so he just went with it.

He stripped off his garments and threw them to the side. He slowly slid himself into the pool, the water creeping up his skin.

He never got to be truly alone in the past days. Now, even for a few minutes, he felt like he was the only person in the entire castle.

The splashing echoed through the domed ceiling as Akaashi made himself comfortable in the water. He was alone with his thoughts once again.

He looked at the smooth skin on his arms and legs. Although he wasn’t on the muscly side of the spectrum, he was a little defined too on a handful of places.

“Bokuto is more muscular than I am.” he said, his words echoing back.

Akaashi gripped his biceps and he wondered what it would be like to hold Bokuto’s arms. I think it would be like holding a steel pipe, he thought and giggled while he imagined it.

Why is he the one occupying my mind these days? He’s nothing special to me.

He scratched his thoughts about Bokuto away from his mind. Akaashi questioned why he thought of Bokuto like that all of the time. All Bokuto ever made him feel was a hot mess.

But whenever Akaashi didn’t let Bokuto occupy his thoughts, he’d think about his father who is secretly forcing him to be king, or the fact that there’s so many expectations he has to fulfill, or how he would survive this day without getting annoyed.

“I could never be a sane person in this kingdom.” he closed his eyes.

After he finished his bath, he put on the clothes Kaori had prepared for him. His outfit for today was a simple aquamarine tunic paired with leggings. Although he had the option of wearing much more finely tailored outfits, Akaashi always chose the simplest ones.

He made his way towards the great hall which most events took place in. As soon as he entered, his gaze fixed on the line of people meeting the king. It stretched out to the ends of the halls. Almost everyone had some type of offering ready.

Akaashi went to stand beside his mother at the front of the hall.

“You’re late.” his mother said without turning her head towards him. She stood with grace in front of the people; she carried herself with dignity.

“Does it matter?” Akaashi said in a tone that screamed more of ‘Does it seem like I care?’

“Yes it does. You’re the prince and you should always be there for the people. You need to have that engraved on your mind. It’s been seventeen years since you were born, my son. You should know your responsibilities more clearly by now.” his mother scolded him without batting an eye towards his direction.

She remained calm and had poise exuding from her. However, Akaashi was a bit bothered by what his mother told him. It’s not like he wanted to be in this position. He didn’t want any responsibility heavier than what his knees could stand. Akaashi disregarded it and kept his vision straight.

“My king.” the man at the front of the line bowed to his father who was sitting on his throne. “The crops we farmers have tended to for months now, they have been ravaged by the past storms.”

“I see, and have you began planting new ones?” the king said, disinterest escaping from his voice.

“Your grace, those were the last seedlings we had? Droughts over the past decade have shortened our food supply.” the villager said.

The king didn’t give a solid response. He just rested his head on his hand, with his elbow to the arm of his chair.

“Your grace, I ask for your help.” the villager said, lifting a basket with a blanket covering its top. “Please accept our offering of the crops we have scavenged from the recent disaster.”

He removed the cover to show rather perished vegetables. Akaashi’s eye twitched. And so did his father’s. Akaashi could sense his father’s displeasure. But what could the poor villager do? For all Akaashi knew, those might be the only food left for them and he gave them to his king.

“I’ll see what I can do about it.” the king said and the townsman’s face lit up with joy.

Akaashi felt bad for him. He didn’t pay much attention to these types of things, but now he did, he found so many things wrong about it.

Next came a group of women, holding a scarf. She wasn’t in the best situation, anybody could tell from a mile away.

“My king, my eldest son has been murdered at the town market.” she gripped the scarf with force. “He had been killed off because of a false accusation.” she added.

Akaashi sympathized with the lady from across the room. There was an immense pain in her eyes, the tears only just threatening to fall. He wanted to do something about her situation. Surely, her loss wasn’t to be tossed aside

“Please, your majesty, I ask for justice.” she begged and went in front of his father, kissing his feet. “Have his scarf. This is his only memory left.” she said, laying the piece of fabric on the king’s lap.

The surrounding guards were quick to act and pulled her away. They held both of her arms so she wouldn’t do any action of the sort, and then she forced her down to her knees. They tugged at the woman as her knees scraped the floor, forming bruises.

“Help us. Please.” she squirmed. Akaashi wanted to tell the guards to let her go. But he knew his parents would reprimand him after. Still, the woman was grieving. And handling her like so was inhumane.

There was a glossy reflection in her eyes. Like tears welling up but refusing to slide down her cheeks. The woman only wanted justice, and now she’s being dragged off to who knows where.

Akaashi couldn’t help but feel responsible. He was about to open his mouth to command the knights when his mother held a hand in front of him. It was as if she knew what he was going to do.

He had no other choice. He watched as all had proceeded. More villagers came with offerings, asking for help. Orphanages without clothes to give to their children, townsmen in the northern part of the kingdom without water, burnt homes in the east, and much more.

But the whole time, Akaashi could see his father being apathetic to the people he ruled. And he didn’t like it one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


	9. His Eyes Saw Different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Disclaimer:  
> By the time of publishing, the author has not yet checked for any grammar mistakes or typographical errors. Although there won’t be much, the reader could stumble upon some while they are enjoying this work. Please bear with the author for the moment. Thank you for understanding. Enjoy.

As the event finished, Akaashi and his parents headed to the dining hall. The servants have prepared a huge full course meal for them, assuming they were tired from dealing with people.

Akaashi sat himself down on the seat in front of his mother as his father took the one on the edge of the table. He wasn’t in the mood to eat today, not after what he’d just seen. He questioned why the royal family filled themselves to their heart’s content when there were people dying from hunger just outside the castle walls.

The maids served a variety of meat on the table. His mother and father had slowly began to eat their share while Akaashi didn’t move a finger.

There in the table sat a variety of dishes and drinks; venison, swan, mortrew, wine, and many more. Yet the townsmen weren’t given enough access to water. Hell forbid they were denied of it.

“What is taking you so long son? Dig in, this feast’s all for us.” his father said once he noticed Akaashi refusing to eat.

“That’s the problem.” he responded.

“Pardon?”

“Are you honest about helping the villagers? Or were you only saying it so they will view you positively?” Akaashi blurted out, causing his parents to stop mid-meal.

“Well, I suppose you could call it that way. If we help them, it would mean less riches for us.” his father said proudly.

And after those words left his father’s mouth, Akaashi’s insides twisted and turned. How could someone be proud of taking advantage of other people?

“Are you not ashamed of yourself?” he snapped.

“Akaashi.” his mother was quick to retaliate. They both knew he was going to be in deep trouble if he disrespected his father like this.

“Son.” the king calmly said. “One day, you’d understand when you finally succeed me.”

Akaashi didn’t get what his father was trying to tell him. And he didn’t know if he wanted to understand it or not.

“I already told you a thousand times. To be king is not and will never be my dream.” he said, desperately trying to contain his words. He gripped his thighs underneath the table to hold his anger.

Helping the people would be such an easy task for his father. He didn’t have to move a muscle and would only need to command his subordinates. Akaashi didn’t get what part of it was so hard to do.

“Well, you’d have to. And you need to maintain all our connections so our kingdom won’t fall apart.” his father said and continued on his meal.

The queen stared at Akaashi, almost like she was saying he should keep his mouth shut if he didn’t want any trouble. But Akaashi didn’t like the way his father thinks. It disgusted him to the bone.

“Our kingdom is already falling apart because you aren’t helping anyone but yourself. And what about connections? Why do you even have them if they don’t benefit the people you rule over?”

Akaashi’s skin hurt, like his mother was staring intensely at him that it seared his skin. But he couldn’t hold back. If he only knew sooner then he wouldn’t get this mad.

“I think that’s enough young man‒”

“Connections are so they give gifts to us and our family benefits.” his father rasped, and forcefully cut into the steak on his plate.

Akaashi was more repulsed each second of the conversation. It was as if he was peeling away at his family’s false images and seeing through their rotten souls, which was exactly what was happening.

“Do you not feel any compassion? Your behavior is appalling. How dare you become the person of which people look up to.” Akaashi exploded. His words poured out like boiling water.

His mother attempted to stop him again but was interrupted by his father slamming his knife and fork onto the table. The sound echoed back and forth throughout the hall. Veins threatened to pop from his temples.

“I have not raised you to oppose my ways. Another word from that mouth of yours and you don’t know what will come your way. I am doing this for our happiness.” his father said, his tone angered yet calm.

“I’m sorry but I said what I said. You’re a disgusting king. And my happiness does not depend on the despair of other people.” Akaashi announced before he stood up and left the dining hall.

His parents weren’t able to catch up to him since he ran outside like his life was on the line. He didn’t care about the servants or the guards calling out his name. He wanted to get away from this horrid place.

He couldn’t handle what had just unfolded before him. His father was the embodiment of tyranny. And his mother let him, even supported him. Were their hearts made of steel? Had seeing their own subjects in agony not bothered them one bit?

Akaashi was.

And he will still be bothered by it until someone solves his people’s worries. He wanted to do something for them but how could he? And it was for sure none of the servants and guards would listen to him now that he protested against his own parents.

Hell, he wasn’t even allowed to go outside the castle walls. Which explained a lot since he couldn’t see the state of his people.

Akaashi ran. He ran until his breath ceased him from doing so. He found himself at the castle icehouse right past the gardens. He sat himself on the ground with his back to the brick walls of the icehouse.

He huffed as he tried to catch his breath. He thought if he should settle here for the night. He wasn’t planning on going inside anytime soon. Yet the problem is, the guards would soon find him.

He hugged his knees to his chest. This was the first time he opposed of his father’s ways. Mostly because he didn’t give any attention to what they were doing back then.

His whole body tensed up. He’d just answered back at his parents. God forbid they cut off his head.

Tears welled up on Akaashi’s eyes. He had not once felt so many emotions colliding before him. His mind was cloudy.

“Akaashi?” a familiar voice came from his right.

He turned his head to see Bokuto standing there, with Aka Junior at his feet.

Without a second thought, Akaashi jumped at Bokuto, wrapping his arms around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! It would be really nice if you could leave a comment on my work because it helps me improve. I know people might see this as too entitled or needy, but it helps me get through the day. Your comments mean a lot to us authors. Thank you so much for reading everyone! Have a nice day!


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